Health minister Dr Dan Poulter was among the 90 parliamentarians who received a flu vaccine at the clinic, organised at the House of Commons on Wednesday by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Vaccine Group.

Dr Poulter said: 'The seasonal flu vaccination is important to help protect those people who are more susceptible to serious complications or even death from flu.

'I would encourage all those that are over the age of 65 or are in one of the "at risk" groups to visit their surgeries and get vaccinated.'

MPs and peers who were not eligible for a free seasonal flu vaccination on the NHS contributed a £10 donation, the price of a private flu jab, to the Disasters Emergency Committee.

A new childhood vaccination programme began in September, starting with two and three-year-olds.

Uptake of the flu vaccine in over 65s reached 73.4% but only 51.3% in at-risk groups and 45.6% in pregnant women in 2012/13.